UK Day Policy* The Union of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a source of great strength and unity, and together we have achieved so much. We believe this historic Union which has shaped our nations over the centuries deserves special recognition.
We would create a nationwide UK Day to be held on July 2nd each year to celebrate the United Kingdom. It would be a day of patriotic pride when homes, businesses and government buildings across the four nations can fly our beautiful red, white and blue Union flag high and proud, as well as the respective flags of the individual nations.
The Christian history of our nation is evident everywhere we look. From the tens of thousands of churches in villages and towns across our land to the very laws we live by which were inspired and guided by Christian values, the impact of Christianity on these isles has been monumental.
It is because of this deep-seated belief in Christ and the Gospel that spans centuries of our history that our flags too reflect this heritage of British faith. Three of the flags which make up the Union flag are representative of the patron saints of the nations.
Saint George, the dragon slayer, represents England and Wales and stands for courage and bravery, as well as the cross of Jesus being symbolic for good ultimately defeating evil.
Saint Andrew, named after one of Jesus’ faithful disciples represents Scotland, and the saltire we know today exists because it was believed he was martyred on a cross of this shape.
Saint Patrick’s cross speaks of the slave who returned as a missionary and converted large parts of Ireland to Christianity and greatly advanced the Gospel there. In a similar fashion to defeating the dragon which represents evil, Saint Patrick is known in legend for driving the serpents out of Ireland.
The Welsh Saint David’s flag is not part of the Union flag as it was still part of England when it was created, but this pious Bishop is known best for living a humble lifestyle and bringing the Good News to the valleys of Wales in the 6th Century.
When combined into the Union flag, it’s clear to see that the very roots of our nation have Christian origins, and even though in recent decades the UK has fallen from grace in many ways when it comes to our religiosity, that immovable anchor of Christ still resonates throughout our land as a beacon of who we are and what we stand for.
July 2nd has been chosen as our UK Day because on this date in 1800 the Act of the Union of Great Britain and Ireland was passed in Parliament, creating the United Kingdom as we know it today.
Join – NHPUK
